Office of the Historian

865.4016/31: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State

Rome, July 15, 1938—6 p.m.
[Received July 15—2:35 p.m.]

175. All Italian newspapers last night and today give prominence to a report prepared by Italian university students under the auspices of the Ministry of Popular Culture setting forth the Fascist attitude toward the race problem. Their 10 conclusions the importance of which is not overlooked in the press may be summarized as follows:

(1)
Different human races exist;
(2)
A difference exists between the great and the lesser races;
(3)
The concept of race is a purely biological concept;
(4)
The population of Italy is of Aryan origin and its civilization is Aryan;
(5)
There has been no change in the racial composition of Italy in the past thousand years;
(6)
A pure Italian race exists;
(7)
It is time that Italy pronounced itself in favor of a “racist” policy;
(8)
A distinction must be made between the European (western) Mediterranean races on one hand and Orientals and Africans on the other;
(9)
Jews do not belong to the Italian race;
(10)
The European physical and psychological characteristics of the Italian race must not be altered in any way.

It may be pointed out that this represents the first official or semiofficial pronouncement in respect to a race question and may well be considered as a possible point of departure for positive action.

Phillips